Thought for the Day

Verse 24 - Why was I born and what is my purpose in life? This question is one of the oldest asked by mankind. Man was created by God and his "goings" are laid out by Him. He created us to be like Him. Without God, we cannot understand life; why we were born, or where we are going. God created us to know Him personally. "Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent" (John 17:3).

Sin separates every human being from God. With Jesus' blood, He purchased our salvation. By His death, burial, and resurrection, He broke the power of sin and death over us, making it possible for us to have everlasting life. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). To have eternal life, we must repent of our sins and ask Jesus to come into our hearts. When we do this by faith, we are "born again" into the family of God and given His nature; we become a child of God. He will then show each of us our part in the scheme of His world.

In the Bible, we receive revelation about how God wants us to act and what we are to do. He shows us how we are to help others know His love and goodness. He gives us understanding, and shows us what steps in our walk with Him we are to take daily. When we make mistakes and fall, He helps us to get up and walk on with Him. "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand" (Psalm 37:23-24). As we follow Him, He will show each of us our part in His plan for creation. We each have unique gifts and God has a plan and purpose to use us and our gifts.

Verse 25 - This verse warns us to be careful about what we tell God we will do. The Lord desires that we be like Him, and this includes keeping our word. Many people promise God that they will do something, but then fail to do it. It is bad enough when we treat other people this way, but when we do this in regard to holy things, it is a serious matter. We are to reverence God, and not treat Him lightly. The Lord is merciful when we fail, but we should not tempt Him by making promises to Him that we can not keep. We should be very serious about any vows we make to God. "When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?" (Ecclesiastes 5:4-6).